Chapter 135. The Victors (2)
“I had expected the ‘Committee’ to approach you eventually.”
Through the communication window, the ‘Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip,’ Wen Zhong, spoke in a calm voice.
“The King of Avengers has always been one of the central figures of the Committee. And that same King of Avengers has continued showing interest in you and supporting you... It was only natural to assume he intended to bring you into the Committee someday.”
“If you already knew, you could’ve told me beforehand.”
“Where would the fun be in that?”
Wen Zhong smiled as he answered.
As expected, this man always acted serious, yet had a surprisingly mischievous side.
“Did they tell you what kind of organization the Committee is?”
“I was told it was a small social club. Of course, I didn’t take that explanation at face value.”
“Hmm... It is a social club, technically. Its main activity is basically gathering from time to time, talking, and socializing.”
According to the Count, it was something like a social salon.
“So that means they do other things too?”
“Yes. I don’t know the details myself, but...”
Wen Zhong stroked his beard.
“I’ve heard that they sometimes involve themselves in Scenarios.”
"...!"
Scenarios.
They were on a completely different level from Events or Quests that any Constellation could organize.
Major incidents capable of affecting the fate of an entire world.
Was the Committee an organization that interfered with Scenarios?
“Do you mean they create Scenarios?”
“Who knows...”
Wen Zhong deliberately trailed off.
“In any case, it isn’t merely a social gathering.”
“Well, if it’s made up of S-rank Constellations with over ten billion Origin Power... even doing something for entertainment would probably move the world.”
“Hmm. Ten billion.”
“What?”
“Nameless King, let me tell you one more thing.”
Wen Zhong smiled.
“This is only my estimate, but... I suspect the average Origin Power of its members exceeds one hundred billion points.”
“What?”
“And for reference, the Count possesses several hundred billion... perhaps even over a trillion Origin Power.”
"...!"
This time, I genuinely sucked in a breath.
I had already realized Arjuna possessed enormous Origin Power just from the size of his Observer screen.
I had also assumed the Count, who associated with someone like Arjuna, must possess an equally ridiculous amount.
But hundreds of billions?
Possibly even a trillion?
“Then...”
“Hmm?”
“As Constellations... they must operate in a completely different sphere from ordinary Constellations.”
Wen Zhong looked slightly caught off guard by my answer.
“Yes. Exactly.”
Then he smiled in satisfaction and nodded.
“As expected, you’re a perceptive man.”
“If you live and act as an ordinary Constellation, you will almost never clash with them. They operate on a much higher plane, and ordinary Constellations have little reason to even notice their activities.”
I had confronted Arjuna because of Saionji Keito last time, but Arjuna hadn’t exactly been the one directly moving Keito around.
“If you recklessly try to involve yourself with beings like them... you’ll simply end up as one of their chess pieces.”
Wen Zhong smiled at me.
“That is why refusing the invitation was a wise choice, Nameless King.”
That was right.
I had refused the invitation in front of the Count and Arjuna.
I had clearly told them that I had no intention of joining that gathering yet.
“You may have begun standing out recently, but you are still a newly risen Constellation.”
Wen Zhong continued.
“It hasn’t even been long since your Origin Power surpassed ten billion.”
“That’s true.”
“If you joined the Committee in that state, you would simply sit at the very bottom, watching everyone else’s mood.”
Wen Zhong was right.
The Committee was completely unfamiliar territory to me.
I didn’t know who belonged to it.
I didn’t know what kind of gathering it was.
I didn’t know what sort of activities it carried out.
Imagine walking into a place like that while knowing absolutely nothing, thinking,
Wow! Even those big shots have acknowledged me now! I’m going to start hanging out with the giants too!
If I skipped in there excitedly like that...
I could easily end up becoming nothing more than a subordinate.
“There is an old saying, ‘Better to be the beak of a chicken than the tail of an ox.’”
“I know a similar proverb.”
“I’m not saying you are currently the beak of a chicken... but if you had joined the Committee, you would unquestionably have become the tail of an ox.”
Wen Zhong smiled.
“However, Grand Preceptor Wen.”
“Hmm?”
“The reason I rejected their offer wasn’t simply because I didn’t want to become an ox’s tail being dragged around by them.”
“What? Then why?”
I answered the puzzled Wen Zhong calmly.
“Because I thought refusing the offer would actually increase my value.”
"...!"
Wen Zhong looked caught off guard.
Then suddenly...
“Wait... Ah. I see!”
“You understand?”
“Yes, you crafty bastard. Hahaha!”
Wen Zhong laughed as though thoroughly entertained.
“Neither the King of Avengers nor the Pure-White Hero would have expected you to refuse. They probably assumed you would consider it an honor and accept immediately.”
He grinned.
“And then you clearly rejected them.”
“Naturally, that will make them reevaluate you!”
“If I accepted on the spot, I would’ve looked too desperate.”
“Not only that. Once word spreads, your reputation will rise even higher.”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“I also thought that if the rumor spreads, organizations other than the Committee might begin contacting me.”
“Exactly. Even I would bring you into the Mountain-Sea Alliance if I could.”
The Mountain-Sea Alliance, led by Wen Zhong, was a gathering of Constellations associated with Investiture of the Gods.
There probably wasn’t a place for me in an organization like that, but if many such groups existed...
then surely some of them would want to recruit me.
“Many organizations will want to bring you in.”
Wen Zhong smiled.
“After all, if they manage to recruit a rising Constellation powerful enough to reject an invitation from the famous ‘Committee,’ an organization filled with legendary Constellations, they’ll naturally have something to boast about!”
“I’m not a giant yet.”
I shook my head.
“More like a promising newcomer.”
“Trying to be modest now?”
Wen Zhong laughed as though I were saying something I didn’t mean.
But I genuinely meant it.
I thought I had grown quite a lot... but I still have a long way to go.
Listening to Wen Zhong only made that clearer.
I’m standing out as a Constellation now. But I can’t become satisfied here.
More Constellations would approach me from now on.
That meant I could use them to accomplish various things.
I could gather information from them as well.
Using that...
I had to climb even higher.
Until I became a true giant capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Count, Arjuna, and the others who possessed more than a hundred billion Origin Power.
I can join the Committee after that.
It had only been a few months since I became a Constellation.
Yet for the first time, I felt as though I could clearly see a concrete destination ahead of me.
“Then, Nameless King... what will you do next?”
“I plan to move toward China.”
“Yes. Naturally.”
According to Saionji Keito’s final words, Ha Mina’s next Vessel was somewhere in China.
And Korea was beginning to feel too small for Kang Yujin.
It was time to move overseas.
If so...
China was the obvious next stage.
“You’d better be careful. The continent is a far more brutal place.”
“I know.”
“Hmm. Then will you send the usual four-man group centered around Kang Yujin into China again? It may be wise to obtain cooperation from the Black Dragon Society through Ma Taesu.”
“I have something else in mind.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
“The situation in Northeast Asia has been shifting dramatically lately.”
I continued calmly.
“In these circumstances, I intend to carry out what I believe is the best possible plan.”
Saionji Keito died in Korea.
Among the Tenka Four Heavenly Kings, Sakuma Hajime and Narukami Kaoru also died.
